


Cake By The Ocean

by KB0821



Category: Red Velvet (K-pop Band), SONAMOO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Beach, Alternate Universe - Lifeguards, F/F, Fluff, Summer Vacation
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-22
Updated: 2017-07-22
Packaged: 2018-12-05 06:16:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 17,687
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11572101
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KB0821/pseuds/KB0821
Summary: Kang Seulgi has one week to win over the heart of beautiful lifeguard Jo Eunae.





	1. Chapter 1

“You know it’s rude to stare, right?”

 

In a snap, Seulgi turned away from the gorgeous lifeguard and back to the sand castle she was making. She honestly blanked out when Sooyoung started ranting about how Joohyun’s little sister Jisoo along with their friends are spending her summer in Jennie Kim’s private island.

 

Who on Earth fucking owns their private island?!

 

Like, are Jennie Kim’s parents the final boss in a crime syndicate or something?!

 

Funny how before Seulgi always tuned in when Jennie Kim’s name is mentioned in a conversation, but now she could space out at the mention of her name. It took time getting used to, but she had gotten so much better with it.

 

It’s not like they’re in a shabby place either. Their university which is smacked dab in the middle of Seoul had everyone talking about escaping to this beach four hours away during finals week.

 

This new beach may not be Boracay, but it’s still a great escape.

 

The shoreline is dotted with little food shacks that come alive at night. The beach got pristine white sand, crystal clear waters that go beyond what the eyes can see and of course her. Her. The long legged beauty perched on her lifeguard post like it’s her throne. Her. The one whose face is so divine that it’s distracting Seulgi from finishing the west wing of her castle. Her. Who should be in an issue of Victoria’s Secret catalog. (Girl would represent the Asian race quite well)

 

Seulgi highly doubts any private island have someone like her.

 

“I say you go for it, Kang Seulgi.” Her best friend Wendy spoke up before returning her attention on her girlfriend again.

 

Wendy and Joohyun have been canoodling under the beach umbrella, like the Nicholas Sparks kind of couple that they are. The cute couple has been together since freshmen year, but people always assumed they just started dating with how touchy-feely they are.

 

“Go for what?”

 

“Is this heat getting to you?” Sooyoung takes off her sunglasses to give Seulgi a dissatisfied glare. “I’m trying to start a conversation here, but all you could look at is that hot lifeguard since we got here.”

 

“You should pretend to drown.” The youngest in their squad, Kim Yeri woke up from her nap just in time to add that. Sometimes it’s hard to believe that Yeri is already 19 years old when she acts like the bratty 12-year-old kid all the time.

 

“She doesn’t need to pretend; she’s gonna drown.”

 

“Guys stop being mean.” Wendy, the mom, interrupted. “I think you should go for it, Seul. Just say Hi and see where you guys can go from there. You know if I didn’t say hi, I would probably not be with Joohyun right now.”

 

“Babe,” Joohyun groaned at the level of cheesiness her girlfriend could go. “Do you really have to go there?”

 

“What? I’m just stating an example!” Wendy scoots closer to her, giving her a friendly pat on the arm. “We’re going to be here for a week, and the first day is almost over. Regrets in life are not the ones that-“

 

“Oh boy here we go,” Joy groans under her breath but that wasn’t enough when Wendy is on a roll.

 

There is a reason why Wendy is running for summa cum laude in her Pre-law major because she can talk people’s ears off and still win an argument.

 

“- we had done, but it’s the ones that we didn’t do. You don’t want to look back, ten years from now and say oh, I wish I said hi to that pretty lifeguard.”

 

“So… you think the lifeguard is pretty?” Joohyun cuts her girlfriend off, but the way her beautiful face looks so deadly, she might as well cut off Wendy’s throat too.

 

 

“What? No… I…I…” Wendy started to have those nervous tics again. “I don’t remember saying that.”

 

“So, you just think she’s pretty unconsciously?”

 

“No, no, no, no, no… That’s not true. You know you’re the most beautiful one in this world for me,”

 

Wendy smiled nervously, hoping it would appease her girlfriend. Bae Joohyun who has the beauty of Aphrodite, but the fiery temper of Ares just scoffed at her lover’s attempt.

 

Wendy turned her attention back to Seulgi, placing both her hands on Seulgi’s shoulders before putting the last punch to her pep talk. “This lifeguard might turn out to be special, Seul….”

 

Just when they thought she's finished with her speech, she ended it up by saying…

 

“She could be your Joohyun.”

 

Sooyoung and Yeri burst out laughing like hyenas on crack, if Joohyun weren't dying in embarrassment right now, she would have smacked the living daylights out of those two.

 

“Seungwan,” Joohyun visibly growled, calling her girlfriend by her Korean name to prove that she isn’t kidding. “If you don’t stop right now. I’ll break up with you this very minute.”

 

“I will… I will. But what do you think Seul? Are you just going to let it go?”

 

If Seulgi is going, to be honest, this was scaring her more than it should. She’s a Performing Arts Major for goodness sakes. She performed on stage and in front of hundreds of people. Seulgi could memorize and perform any choreography with knifelike precision, but asking her to go over and talk to someone? She already has the tendency to say something idiotic, what more if she’s talking to a beautiful girl? She’s going to be a bumbling mess. That shit is crazy scary.

 

Even if she’s the second oldest in their gang, she’s the one with the least experience when it comes to love and relationships. What she had with Jennie was the closest thing she could call to a relationship. But even then, it was the younger girl who made a move. She and Jennie ended before they could even begin. Sometimes she thinks it was for the better, most of the time Seulgi thinks it’s for the worse.

 

But this… this is worth a try, right?

 

“There’s nothing to lose and everything to gain!”

 

“Except your dignity and pride,” Sooyoung says in a deadpan tone while munching on some watermelon. “But we’ll be gone in a week, and it would just be like a bad dream or a nightmare.”

 

“Ummm I guess it doesn’t hurt to say hi,” Seulgi mumbled in an unsure tone.

 

“No, it doesn’t!” Wendy was beaming so proudly that her speech worked. “Now go for it.”

 

“B-b-b-but what I’m going to say?”

 

“Hi! Seulgi! Just say Hi.”

 

“No hold on,” Yeri dug inside the ice cooler and pulled out an ice, cold bottle of coke. “Here.”

 

She thrust the bottle into Seulgi’s hand.

 

“Tell her, oh you look so hot. And then, she’ll go, excuse me what did you say?” Yeri said dramatically, which she probably learned from her Theatre Arts major girlfriend. “And then, you’ll go, here have a coke.”

 

All the girls stepped back from both the smoothness and cringiness of the pickup line.

 

“Oh! That’s smooth!” Sooyoung gives her fellow demon a high five. Yeri shrugs like the cool player that she’s trying to be.

 

“They don’t call me Player Rim for nothing.”

 

“No one calls you that,” Sooyoung said, shitting on Yeri’s dream.

 

“I think I could do it.” Seulgi got up on shaky legs, cold sweat and it’s definitely not from the summer heat. “Saying hi would be easy, right?”

 

“Right!”

 

“Go unnie! Get your Joohyun!” Yeri yells out.

 

The last thing Seulgi heard was a loud smack and Yeri’s yelp before she walks over to the lifeguard post.

 

*

 

Mary, Joseph, Jesus and all the Saints and angels… Why is this so hard?

 

Seulgi brushed the sweat lined up in her forehead with the back of her arm. But she could swear she’s sweating bullets right now.

 

Each step made her feel like her Havaianas is sinking deeper and deeper in the sand. And is it just her? Or does it feel like she’s inside the oven cranked to 400 degrees with how suffocating it is?

 

Oh, thank God! She made it! Seulgi reached out for the lifeguard post like a marathoner crossing the finish line.

 

But now that she’s here what now?

 

Wait… she’s here, and SHE is here… sitting on her post.

 

Oh my God… what do I do again? What do I do? Seulgi clutched on the icy bottle so tightly, she could end up with a frostbite. She stood paralyzed in fear next to the lifeguard post.

 

If the lifeguard was so pretty from a couple of meters away, she’s up a whole notch when she’s this close. Her skin has this sexy sun-kissed tone, she got a jawline that could cut through timber, and her face has this fierce yet tempting look.

 

Seulgi can’t clearly see her eyes though because pretty lifeguard has her Raybans on. She wonders if she has double eyelids or a monolid. What if she’s cross eyed?

 

Seulgi would still think she’s the prettiest cross-eyed person she had ever seen.

 

The lifeguard peered down from her spot, and it took a few seconds to click for Seulgi that she’s looking at her.

 

“Oh! Hi!” Seulgi squealed. She turned her direction to her friends who were all pushing her to go, except for Yeri who was watching her with an anticipation for any disaster to strike.

 

The object of her present affection smiles before saying back, “Hi.”

 

The sound of that velvety soft voice, made Seulgi popped the cap off that coke and gulped it down to its very last drop.

 

That coke was enough to quench her thirst until she realized what she’s supposed to do.

 

Oh shit… what now?

 

“Ummm… Are you coke? Here’s hot.”

She looked back at her friends who are now smacking their faces in her place.

 

“What?”

 

“Ummm… ahh…Hi.” She started once again.

 

“Hello again.”

 

Seulgi turned once again to her buddies. Yeri has that evil look now while Wendy is still looking like a proud mother at her. It wasn't helping at all, and right now, she could only rely on what her guts are telling her.

 

“Well, ummm… do you know what time it is?”

 

The lifeguard’s lips curved into an amused smile. And Seulgi was struggling to figure out if it was a good or bad sign.

 

“It must be party time?”

 

“It is?” Seulgi looks around, wondering where the party is at. “Where?”

 

The lifeguard’s face suddenly got flushed, “Oh, you really want to know the time?”

 

“Ahhh yes? Oh!” Seulgi’s eyes brightened up as she figured it out. “Oh! You meant the SNSD song, oh… now I get it.”

 

“Oh, it’s ummm 2:34.”

 

“Oh okay, thank you.”

 

Seulgi bowed down before almost tripping on the sand. Thankfully she caught herself before she ended up with a mouthful of sand.

She finally got herself steady on the ground, when-

 

“WATCH OUT!”

 

A soccer ball flew straight at the side of her face making her kneel helplessly on the ground.

 

“Oh God!”

 

Yup. God, why did you abandon me?

 

Seulgi could feel hot tears about to burst out of her eyes, and she has no idea if it’s from the pain or it’s from the embarrassment. At least her hearing is still good cause she could hear Sooyoung and Yeri laughing their butts off.

 

“Hey, guys be careful!” The lifeguard said sternly, and Seulgi wonders whether she would be all giddy or humiliated about it. “Let me get you an ice pack. Are you okay?”

 

Seulgi could only weakly nod, her protector landed with a soft thud on the sand before she tugged Seulgi off the ground.

 

Oh my God! She’s a giant! She barely made it pass this lifeguard’s chin.

 

Or I’m just really short.

 

“Here.” She offered Seulgi an ice pack.

 

“Thank you.” Seulgi bowed once again, before checking if any ball comes flying her way. “I think I’m going back to my spot now.”

 

“Are you sure? You’re not feeling lightheaded or anything?”

 

“Nope. I’m good. You’re awesome at your job. Fighting!”

 

Seulgi pumped her fist, and she sees the lifeguard’s awkward smile changed into a soft grin.

 

“Thanks.”

 

It was time for Seulgi to go back to her friends now, leaving her heart, dignity, and pride behind.

 

*

 

It took Sooyoung and Yeri a good 30 minutes trying to pry Seulgi out of their beach umbrella. Joohyun had to step in with her sharp glare, and within a few seconds, Seulgi was up, carrying her donut floaty as Sooyoung and Yeri skip ahead of her.

 

Seulgi has always been a half full kind of person, but even she had a hard time looking at the bright side of all this when she slipped, got hit and now got kicked out of their little umbrella. She was now waddling her sorrows away in the shallow parts of the water while Sooyoung and Yeri are doing their best imitation of WWE.

 

And to add insult to injury, Seulgi has a clear view of every guy and chick trying to hit on her beautiful lifeguard.

 

This college dude with the greasy hair was the 8th guy who approached her post in the last 30 minutes.

 

Seulgi looked up just in time to see Sooyoung waving at her. Seulgi tilted her head to the side before waving back, not knowing what she’s waving at Sooyoung for.

 

She realized it a little too late when her toes can’t touch the sand anymore, that her snake of a friend just shoved her to the deep end.

 

“Ummmm, guys…. Guys!”

 

Seulgi started flailing around but was able to catch her floaty in time before she sunk.

 

Oh God… oh God… oh God… this is it. Her life is flashing before her eyes, and there’s not a lot of it.

 

“Ummm unnie, Seulgi unnie could drown.”

 

“Or she could finally get the girl, life is about taking risks, my friend.”

 

Sooyoung reassured her younger friend before waving goodbye.

 

*

 

“HELP! HELP! HELP!”

 

Joohyun and Wendy quickly looked away from their umbrella as soon as they heard that familiar bratty voice in distressed. They saw Yeri flailing over to the lifeguard station.

 

“HELP! MY unnie is in the middle of the ocean! The sharks are gonna get her! The sharks are gonna get her!” Yeri yelled out in terror. She was quite proud of her acting chops, her theater major girlfriend would be super damn proud of her.

 

The beautiful lifeguard gasped as she saw someone drifting away further and further by the waves. She was up in no time, throwing her shirt to the side before running to the beach.

 

For a few hot seconds, the tongue-tied Yeri completely forgot that she’s in a relationship.

 

*

 

“Hey!”

 

The lifeguard called out as she finally reached the floaty and the poor girl crying in fear.

 

“Help meeeeee! Please help me!”

 

“I got you. It’s okay. Now take deep breaths.”

 

Seulgi started hyperventilating, but she still has the strength to scream her lungs off.

 

“I’m gonna die! I’m gonna die! I’m gonna die!”

 

“No, no you’re not. I got you; I got you. See? We are almost there.”

 

“I’m gonna die; I’m going to die!” Seulgi continues to cry hysterically as she tried to climb the floaty.

 

“Don’t… don’t… Don’t climb on me either!” The lifeguard told her, as she continued to pull her back. But it was too late, Seulgi clings like a possessive koala around the lifeguard’s neck.

 

Seulgi was too deep in her panic mode that she failed to realize that her pretty crush is carrying her in her back.

 

“Shhh… shhh… It’s going to be alright. I’m here now.”

 

But Seulgi was already a hot mess, wailing in the lifeguard's ear.

 

“Here you go, we are here.”

 

Seulgi fell on the sand, she instantly dropped to the ground, before bursting into more tears. Her heart started to calm down as she felt a warm towel wrapped around her.

“Are you okay?” The person asked as she tenderly dries off Seulgi.

Seulgi nodded before the one drying her off lowered the towel. And when Seulgi came face to face with her savior, one thought quickly took over her mind.

 

Oh wow… she has monolids.

 

“UNNIE YOU’RE ALIVE!” Yeri had jumped on Seulgi before she turned to the Goddess in a lifeguard outfit. “You save my unnie! How can we ever thank you? Ummm…”

 

“Eunae.” She bowed down. “Are you- are you okay?”

 

“Oh, she’ll be alright!” Sooyoung punched Seulgi a little too hard in the arm. “Did you see her abs? She got abs of steel. She could make it through everything.”

 

“Do you want to go to the clinic?” Eunae asked in concern.

 

“N-n-no… I’m okay.”

 

“Okay… if you need anything… be careful.”

 

“She will.” Yeri gives her a salute before Eunae bowed down again and walked back.

 

“Well, that went well.”

 

Seulgi begs to disagree.

 

*

 

“I would like to order your Tteokbokki while this beautiful girl right here next to me would like some kimchi stew. How about you Seul? Do you want to get anything? My treat.” Wendy offered, smiling at her best friend.

 

Seulgi looked more and more like a kicked puppy, answered Wendy with a light shake of the head.

 

“Well, more for me.” Yeri reaches out for the grill, picking up a piece of beef.

 

“I almost drowned,” Seulgi whined cutely, laying her head on the table.

 

“But did you die though?” Joy reasoned out.

 

“Well,” Seulgi lifted her head up and frowned. “Ummm… no.”

 

“And that’s all that matters; tomorrow is a new day. We have to think of a new strategy tomorrow.”

 

“No. No more. I’m okay with this.” Seulgi raised her hands in surrender. She didn’t know what was worse embarrassing herself in front of the pretty lifeguard or almost getting herself killed.

 

“With what?”

 

“She gets asked out a lot, and then, there’s me who looks like an idiot in front of her. Twice in one day. It’s okay. I’ll just…”

 

“There there unnie,” Yeri reassured her by trying to feed Seulgi with a slice of pork. Seeing that Seulgi wouldn't go for it, Yeri ate it. “If you don’t get with it with the lifeguard, you can go with that hot girl checking you out over there.”

 

Seulgi snorted. She doubted the girl is anywhere close to how her beautiful lifesaver is. But it doesn’t hurt to look, does it? Seulgi slowly tried to glance that way, and the sight of the beauty almost made her topple down on the floor.

 

Right there, with her hair down in light waves instead of her high ponytail and her summer dress instead of her lifeguard outfit. Oh God, and just when Seulgi thought she couldn’t even get anymore prettier.

 

It felt like she’s about to drown again, but for an entirely different reason.

 

She had her eyes on Seulgi but quickly turned away when their gaze met. The pretty lifeguard turned back again, catching Seulgi blinking at her. She raised her hand in a shy wave, and Seulgi gulped nervously, and Joy had to grab her arm to mechanically make her wave.

 

“Oh my God!” Seulgi covered her face when reality dawned on her. “She’s probably telling her lifeguard friends that I was that one who almost drowned while in a floaty.”

 

“And got hit by the ball. Don’t forget.”

 

Seulgi tried, it’s a good thing Yeri reminded her.

 

“Well, other than Seulgi almost drowning and her getting hit by a ball. I think the day went quite well. Right?” Wendy said, blinding everyone with her smile and positivity. “Right?”

 

Wrong.

 

*

 

“Yah Eunae!”

 

Eunae snapped out of her trance throwing Minjae an irritated scowl for the interruption. Her friends only giggled along in her expense before they looked over at the gorgeous China doll Eunae had her gaze on since they stepped in the restaurant.

 

“You know her?” Sumin asked while chewing thoughtfully on some beef.

 

“W-well, I kinda save her today.”

 

The girls exchanged amused looks at each other, knowing their best friend better than anyone. Jo Eunae is the hot lifeguard straight out of Victoria’s Secret catalog, with her gorgeous face and body. She has a pick of anyone she wanted, when she has vacationers, backpackers, trying to win her over. But she had always been so old fashion about love and everything else. Other than that, her life had always revolved around volleyball, school and during summer breaks, her lifeguard job.

 

This is the first time that Eunae actually paid attention to someone.

 

“How rude of her not to thank you,” Nahyun said with a hint of mischief. “Maybe you should remind her.”

 

Eunae just gulped before focusing on shoving the grilled pork around her plate.

 

“No, I’m good.”

 

“Oh! This is my jam!” Euijin announces as soon as the beat drop. She tugged on Eunae, trying to drag her to the dance floor. “C’mon let’s dance.”

 

Eunae hesitated for a bit before giving in. But while she's getting dragged, her gaze remained on the girl. Her friends are all on the dance floor, the cute couple dancing sweetly, while the other two is attempting to do some bboy moves. Eunae searched for her as the dance floor start crowding in until she finally spotted her on the table, her focus on her plate than dancing.

 

*

 

Sooyoung sat back next to Seulgi who puts all of her concentration on her plate.

 

“I can’t believe I almost drown you for this,” Sooyoung said in disappointment, before chugging down Seulgi's water.

 

Seulgi responded by chewing on the beef.

 

“Did you at least said thank you to her?”

 

Seulgi pulled the chopsticks off her lips as the realization struck her. She was too busy crying for her life that she didn’t even get a chance to thank her.

 

“I…I don’t remember.”

 

“Well then, what are you waiting for? C’mon!”

 

*

 

“Eunae,” her best friend Nahyun nudges her to look behind her, and she spun around to catch the cute girl from the beach right there.

 

Eunae tucked her hair behind her ear before smiling shyly at her.

 

“Hi again.”

 

“Ahh Hi. Umm… thankyouforsavingmylifeidontdeserveityouaretoobeautifulandyouareamazing.”

 

Eunae grinned awkwardly, not understand a word that Seulgi said after saying hi. Nahyun tugged her closer before whispering.

 

“Ask her to dance.”

 

“No.” Eunae hissed back.

 

“Eunae asks if you want to dance?” Nahyun went ahead and asked for her friend. Seulgi squinted her eyes trying to hear through the booming song.

 

“Huh?”

 

“She said she would love too,” Joy took over for Seulgi and shoved her to the deep end, just like how she shoved her this morning.

 

Eunae takes a step forward, leaning over Seulgi’s ear and whispers.

 

“What’s your name again?”

 

Seulgi was quickly paralyzed, embarrassed that she didn’t even know her savior’s name

 

“Oh my God! I didn’t even tell you my name!” She bowed down right in the middle of the dance floor.

 

“I’m Kang Seulgi and ummm you?”

 

“Eunae. Jo Eunae.”

 

*

If there is one thing to blame on why Wendy was ready to sleep right now, it was those long nights studying. It was barely 1 am, and she usually sleeps later than that during the semester. It must be her body's way of telling her to shut down because she could barely keep her eyes open right now.

 

Her girlfriend, who’s not a big party girl either looked like she’s ready to go.

 

“We are gonna go ahead, Sooyoung.”

 

Sooyoung who’s taking a 5-minute break from the dance floor answered Wendy with a shit eating grin.

 

“No-no-no… We’re going to sleep.”

 

“On top of each other?” Sooyoung threw a jab.

 

Wendy pinched the bridge of her nose; her positivity is running out quickly now that she's ready to sleep.

 

“Good night, Park!” Joohyun finally stepped in to shut up the taller girl hopefully. “Take care of those two. Speaking of- where’s Seulgi?”

 

“There.”

 

Joohyun and Wendy searched the dance floor and saw Seulgi standing awkwardly in front of tall beauty.

 

“Oh. I wonder what they’re talking about.”

 

*

 

“Ummm… so you’re in college?”

 

Paused...

 

“Yeah. Going to be a junior this coming fall. How about you?”

 

“Oh, you’re an unnie," Eunae said, smiling at Seulgi. "I’m going to be a sophomore.”

 

“You’re younger than me?” Seulgi’s mouth dropped. “Wow.”

 

“Why? Do I look old?”

 

A shiver ran straight down Seulgi’s spine when she realized how rude she sounded. She looked back up at Eunae, and she looked too adorable with that worried pout on her face. It took all of Seulgi’s will to not pinch her cheeks.

 

“What? No-no-no-no- it’s just that you’re so tall and you know sophisticated looking. You got that unnie look. But a young unnie, not an old unnie.”

 

“Oh okay.”

 

They exchanged awkward smiles again. The entire dance floor was getting packed by the second, and yet the two of them stood stiffly on the dance floor. Drunk college guys were closing in on them, and Eunae had more than her fair share of dealing with intoxicated idiots. She reached for the other girl, pulling Seulgi closer to her as one of the guys tried to jump in.

 

“It’s getting crowded, would you like to step out?”

 

*

 

The outdoor terrace was a welcome breather for the two. The music blasting from inside, sounded much softer now, as the waves crashing into the shores drowned out the sound.

 

The two were still basically strangers, whose lives were thrown into a crazy mix. Eunae was seriously gorgeous up close, and in one day she was Seulgi’s crush to Seulgi’s savior and now Seulgi’s crush once again.

 

But she was incredibly quiet, and Seulgi wondered if she’s the one who should say anything since she’s the older one.

 

“I should buy you a drink.”

 

“What?”

 

“Since you saved my life and stuff, I should get you something- like coffee.”

 

“N-n-no. no, thank you.” Eunae waved her off, looking adamant on not drinking coffee. “I’m okay. Thank you though. I’m just glad you’re okay.”

 

“I’m okay because you save me.”

 

Eunae smiled shyly before turning to her. “Do you like volleyball?”

 

“Huh?”

 

Seulgi turned to face the girl standing next to her. Eunae had a nervous look, while she anticipated for Seulgi’s answer.

 

“I watched Haikyuu.”

 

The worried expression on Eunae’s face changed into a sweet smile.

 

“I play beach volleyball. It’s more like an exhibition game but ummm… If you don’t have anything planned tomorrow maybe you could ummm… maybe watch. It’s really fun.”

 

“Oh yes! I would love to watch.”

 

“You would?” Eunae’s smile has gotten brighter.

 

“I would!”

 

“Unnie! You ready to go?”

 

“That’s Sooyoung… Thank you again.” Seulgi bowed down for what felt like the hundredth time.

 

“You’re welcome.” Eunae bowed back. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”

 

It was more of a question than a statement, but Seulgi wanted Eunae to know that when it comes to her, her answer would always be a yes.

 

“I’ll see you.”

*

 

“We should like totally bust into their room and catch them in the act!” Yeri laid out her plans as the three of them ransacked the convenience store of every snack.

 

“That’s gross,” Sooyoung said before her lips curled into a devilish snarl. “But I like it. Hey, Seul?”

 

“What?”

 

“What are you going to do with all that?”

 

Sooyoung twitched at the sight of the poster paper and some colorful markers.

 

“Ummm… nothing.”

 

Seulgi prayed that Sooyoung would drop the topic right now, she wouldn’t know how to explain what she’s about to do right now.

 

“Oh okay,” Sooyoung shrugged before walking over to the counter, making Seulgi sigh in relief.

 

*

 

All it took was a few bags of chips, and Sooyoung and Yeri were instantly knocked out. She slowly climbed out of bed, before walking over to the table with her poster and markers and started drawing. It was around 2:47 am, but all it took was the vibrating of her phone to jolt her back to life.

 

Nini ❤

 

Seulgi turned her attention back to her poster, letting the call go to a miscall. She should really change her name in her phone contacts, especially nowadays that she’s regaining her heart piece by piece.

 

She could already tell what Sooyoung and Yeri’s reaction would be when they would see her poster. They would definitely make fun of it, but at the same time be the ones to cheer her on.

 

Seulgi pulled the poster up and even at 2 am, she could proudly say that she did a good job with this. A yawn was enough to signal Seulgi that it was time for bed. She laid down her poster, right across it in bold and highlighted letters, Seulgi affectionately wrote.

 

EUNAE FIGHTING!!!!! 

 

This is probably a little bit too early for this. Seulgi just met the girl today, and here she is making her a poster for her game. But what was it that Wendy said earlier? It’s not what you have done that you regret, but the ones you haven’t done.

 

And as Seulgi looked back at her poster, she perfectly knew that she doesn't regret a thing.

 

TBC


	2. Day 2

Practice makes perfect.

 

Despite how cliché and groan-inducing that line is, Jo Eunae swears to live and die by it.

 

Eunae was painfully shy as a kid that some people thought she was mute the first time they would meet her. When she would try to talk, the words that come out from her mouth wasn’t the words that she had pictured in her head. It was either turned out mixed up or missing some words, and she would end up being a mumbling mess.

 

She learned to live with just saying one or a couple of words rather than sound like a complete idiot.

 

She had heard it countless times growing up; She’s so beautiful, it’s too bad that she’s so quiet.

 

It was volleyball that had save her. She picked up Nahyun’s unnie’s volleyball when she was around seven years old and never looked back since. She came back home ragged, dirtied, blistered and scratched that night, but the smile on her face had never been so bright.

 

It was a sport that made her feel like she could fly. She once read an article from their local newspaper calling her an angel on the court, and it couldn’t have felt more right because the court always felt like heaven for her.

 

If she were happy she would play volleyball, if she were mad she would play volleyball, if she were sad, she would play volleyball. Volleyball was to her what words could have been.

 

But she learned that volleyball isn’t just about powerful spikes, and that’s when practicing came in handy. After games, when fans or writers would approach and asked her, why are you so good? The answer she would give them is simple.

 

Because I practice.

 

That was it. There were no ifs, and's or buts about it. It’s because she practiced. She was usually met with a disappointed oh like they expected her to say some clever, inspirational sports quote that would turn them into volleyball Gods.

But there was really no other answer. Eunae practiced from the time she wakes up and before she goes to bed. She practiced until every move sinks inside her veins and commit it to muscle memory. She practiced despite a sore shoulder, a sprained ankle, blistered fingers. She practiced, and that was it.

 

It’s a routine, it’s her life, and she was contented to live in it.

 

If only that cute teddy bear from the beach didn’t throw her out of the loop.

 

Eunae was a scrawny kid that grew curves in all the right places. She was effortlessly pretty too. While the rest of the girls in her high school takes an hour to put makeup on, all she needed was some BB cream and lip tint (maybe some brow liner if she’s feeling it) and she’s good to go.

 

Boys were starting to take notice too.

 

They would walk over to her, asking her about volleyball and if there is one thing that she could talk about on and on and on, it was volleyball. It didn’t hit her until later to learn that it wasn’t volleyball they were after, it was her. But what was worse is, most of them weren’t even looking for anything serious, just some thrill. And everyone assumed that she would be easy.

 

It wasn’t just the guys, and some girls do that too.

 

While she worked as a lifeguard, she would spend most of her days fending herself against greasy guys rather than saving a life. There was always instances of these guys fake drowning, demanding some CPR after. She would let the brawny paramedic handle that.

 

This was her third year doing it, but it seems to be getting worse and worse. These college guys who came looking for a quickie and a hookup, thinking that she’ll be up for it. Euijin, her teammate and the one who could write a book with all the hook ups she had, told her just to enjoy, that she doesn’t have to sleep with them, but she could at least give them a chance.

 

“There must be someone out there you think is cute, right?”

 

There is now.

Eunae couldn’t recall when she even had a crush. There was one time she liked a volleyball sunbae in high school. The crush was terrible, but the going out after was worse. She realized that she only liked the sunbae because she plays good volleyball, nothing else. Eunae felt like such a jerk.

 

But this one feels different.

 

Out of towners come in bunches during this time of the year. Most of them rowdy college students. That day wasn’t even supposed to be her shift, but she had to cover for Dohee because the girl had a bad case of the shits.

 

She first noticed the five girls because of how beautiful they all are. They are obviously from Seoul, but Eunae wouldn’t even be surprised if they turned out to be trainees or idols or something. There was that cute couple who’s holding hands in another and carrying coolers on the other hand. Then, there’s that tall girl who could pass as a model just bringing a towel and her backpack, behind her was a cute perky girl who is playfully smacking everyone in her group with her shark floaty until one of the couple (the beautiful, scary one) glared at her. The violent kid moved on to her next target, the cutie, the one with a donut floaty and buckets in one hand.

 

And oh my God… she looks like a walking, breathing teddy bear.

 

A teddy bear with abs.

 

No, she was cuter than a teddy bear.

 

They set their umbrella a couple of distance away from her, and each one did their own thing (except for the couple who were doing each other). The teddy bear quickly got her supplies and started playing with the sand, and Eunae thought she had never seen anything so adorable.

 

Eunae had forgotten that she had a beach to patrol and just stared at her as her little blocks of sand were slowly forming into a castle. Cute teddy bear must have noticed her looking because she turned over her way, Thank God for Eunae’s quick reflex she turned away and from the corner of her eye she could see that the girl was looking at her.

 

The girl was alternating between her sand castle and her, and Eunae felt more nervous right now than playing volleyball in front of hundreds of people. But the jitters got worse when Eunae noticed her friends joining along, coaxing pretty teddy to go over. And Eunae wasn’t the type to know how to talk, what would she even say? What would she do?

 

It turned out that she didn’t know how to talk either. She was such a cutie up close though, a mumbling, awkward cutie with abs that look like you can break your hand if you punch it. Awkward wasn’t enough to describe her, as soon as the soccer ball hit the side of her face, Eunae felt like it’s up to her to protect her.

 

She thought she wouldn't see her after that embarrassing stint, but it seems to Eunae that teddy has a knack for getting herself into trouble. Next thing Eunae knows she was swimming so hard (Phelps would be shook) just to get to the girl who’s about to drift into the ocean. She was a crying, hysterical mess.

 

And when she saved her, she looked absolutely terrified. Would it be mean if Eunae thinks that she’s the cutest thing in the world when she’s scared?

 

Eunae didn’t even know how they both ended up on the shore, with how hard she was clinging to her but they did. She promised herself that she would swim through hordes of sharks and killer whales just to save her.

 

As Eunae watched her retreat to her friends, Eunae could finally say that there is something to look forward to this summer.

 

*

 

Eunae found out around high school about the beauty of writing. The words which she had always feared were becoming her salvation now. Writing had become her own version of a comfort food, an escape when talking failed her. With a pen and paper, or a computer or even in her phone she could say anything that she would like and know.

 

She could slow down when she writes like she doesn’t need to wait for someone to respond or to react to know what to say. She could erase back, fix, edit words unlike when you talk where you ended up like a fool when you back off from what you said.

 

Unlike volleyball where she was a natural, writing is a skill she had to learn to perfect. She went through countless workshops to make her writing impeccable. Eunae read tons of books from children’s books to biographies to mystery thrillers just to widen her vocabulary. But even if it took some time, her articles and essays filled with red marks and x's and o's, she still pushed herself to do it. She practiced writing. She reads, she writes and she plays volleyball. Soon, the red marks were disappearing and were all turning into A’s. She went from being criticized to now being praised.

 

Eunae realized that she doesn’t have a knack for storytelling, but more of telling someone a story. That’s why she preferred writing articles rather than stories. She couldn’t come up with a story in her head, but she could write about what she saw.

 

That’s why when she got the athletic scholarship in college, she knew what she would want to do. She would love to write and at the same time be surrounded by volleyball. She took up literature, hoping that someday she could be a sports columnist and be around the two things that she loves.

 

But even she with her literature major couldn’t find the right word to describe how she’s feeling now.

 

When she and her friends went out to dinner that night, her mind was still filled with an adorable, teary eyed teddy bear. This was a tourist town, and she could go on a tour tomorrow, go scuba diving, or visit the local sites. There is an 80 percent chance that she might never see her again. It was a depressing fact, but it was reality. People come and go here.

 

Or maybe she does.

 

Because there she is, looking every bit of the word gorgeous in her crop top and short shorts, her hair cascading behind her shoulders and gosh she looks so pretty.

 

After being shoved around by both their friends, they finally get to talk or some version of talking. She learned that her name is Seulgi, that she was a year older and that she watched Haikyuu.

 

Now she doesn’t know how she got here. She never knew that she had it in her to ask someone to watch her play. But she had to try, right? It’s not like it’s a date, nothing like that.

 

But now she is deeply regretting her decision. What would she even say or do if Seulgi comes over to watch?

 

So, that’s why she had to go back to her tried and tested method.

 

Practice makes perfect.

 

Eunae waited until everyone was asleep when she went to the restroom to do what she had to do.

 

She took a long deep breath, before staring at herself in front of the mirror.

 

“You can do this, Eunae.” She pumped herself up. “You have done this a hundred of times, you can do it for one more.”

 

She inhaled shakily, shook the heaviness out of her shoulders while once again, taking slow, deep breaths.

 

“I can do this,” She said while giving out a low exhale. She smiles at her reflection.

 

“Hi Seulgi,”

 

She lets out a screech of embarrassment before groaning at the ultimate fail that she is. Her smile looked like she just got a root canal.

 

But practice makes perfect, so here she goes.

 

“Hi, Seulgi…”

 

Too high pitch.

 

“Hi Seulgi.”

 

Nope. She sounded like a man with how low her voice is.

 

“Hi, Seulgi.”

 

Sounds too eager and desperate.

 

“Hi Seulgi.”

 

Now she just sounds like she lost the will to live.

 

Eunae clutched tightly on the linoleum counter, trying to steady herself, whining in frustration at how difficult this is setting out to be.

 

“Why is this so hard? Wait… should I say hello instead?”

 

“Hello, Seulgi?”

 

Why am I asking?”

 

“Hello, Seulgi!”

 

Shit… I sound like I’m high.

 

“Hello, Seulgi.”

 

Did someone die?

What was she thinking inviting Seulgi over to watch her play? What if it’s one of her off days to play when nothing turns right, what would Seulgi think? She’ll probably think why she would invite me if she’s so terrible?

 

The loud banging on the door made her jumped out and scared the bejeezus out of her.

 

“Unnie?!” It was Dohee yelling from the other side. The girl is usually pretty calm, but her stomach flu is turning her into a monster.

 

“What?”

 

“Come out now! I need to shit!”

 

“Alright! Alright! Geez.”

 

Eunae covered her face, mumbling a silent player.

 

“Oh God, I’m not ready yet what if I don’t show up? But what if Seulgi shows up? Wait she’s older than me, should I call her unnie? But were not close.”

 

“Eunae! Any minute now!”

 

“Alright!”

 

Dohee gave her a mean stare before dashing inside the restroom. Eunae put her head down, planning to practice it in her sleep. She was knocked out before she could even say Hi.

 

*

 

She isn’t even here.

 

Eunae looked around the beach since she got there. Her disappointment is doubling each time she sees that there was no sign of her everywhere. The beach was starting to fill up with spectators, most of them she didn’t know was there to watch her play in a bikini.

 

“Unnie? Unnie?”

 

“W-what?”

 

Their youngest Yoonsun looked at her with sympathetic eyes. Sometimes it’s hard to admit that the girl is younger than all of them with how mature she acts. Eunae gave her a nod and a pat on the shoulder.

 

“Let’s do this.”

 

“Let’s do this, unnie!”

 

Eunae was known around the volleyball community as someone who plays with finesse and grace and her infamous remote control serves (like she knows exactly where to make the ball land). She could tell from her opponents that they were anticipating it, anxious where it’s going to land.

 

But today, she’ll play a little bit different. She got to let out some steam anyway.

 

The whole place was on their feet, as soon as she served, there was nothing graceful about it. Instead, she hit that ball like a beast.

 

She could feel her captain, Sumin’s stare burning behind her head. She’ll tell her captain sorry later, right now she had to let out some steam.

 

*

 

“I feel like I need to work out,” Joohyun grumbled as they walked through the crowd, and saw the rock hard abs and bodies of the volleyball players on the court.

 

“Oh babe, you’re already perfect in my eyes.”

 

From behind the couple, they could hear the two youngest girls puking their guts out from Wendy’s line.

 

“You have to be confident unnie.” Yeri patted Joohyun’s shoulder in assurance. “When God made me, he said, oh she’s already too beautiful if I give her a hot body, it’s gonna cause wars, so you know.”

 

“Your confidence is overwhelming.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

“I can’t believe were so late.” Seulgi rambled nervously.

 

“It’s a vacation, unnie. During vacations, time doesn’t exist.” Sooyoung pointed out as she sat next to her. She adjusted her straw hat before looking at the court. “Besides I think she’s doing great.”

 

Seulgi squinted her eyes from the sun, but even the harsh sunlight couldn’t blur out how badly Eunae’s team is crushing their opponents.

 

“Aren’t you going to show her your poster?”

 

Oh shit… she forgot about that.

 

“No,” Seulgi pulled the poster closer to her. It didn’t sink in until this morning when she finally had enough sleep, how crazy she was for making a poster for someone she just met a couple of hours ago. What would Eunae think? That she’s like a saesang fan, who does these ridiculous things to get her attention?

 

“Didn’t you take all night to make that?” Wendy asked.

 

“No… no… it’s okay.”

 

“Oh c'mon unnie, it's summer!” Sooyoung pried off the poster way too quickly from Seulgi’s grip and gave it to their little maniac. “Here Yeri, do your thing.”

 

Yeri’s lips curved in a devious snarl before shaking the poster with all her might.

 

“GO EUNAE GO! GO EUNAE GO! GO EUNAE GO!”

 

If Seulgi wants the ground to swallow her whole, now is the perfect time. But for now, she’ll just sink in her seat.

 

Yeri’s loud screeching didn’t just get Eunae’s attention it got everyone’s attention as well. When Eunae briefly looked over to them, Yeri the troll that she is pointed with both her hands at Seulgi.

 

“Unnie made you this poster, do you like it?!”

 

Eunae smiled softly and nodded.

 

“She likes it unnie!”

 

“Please… please stop.”

 

“No I won’t! EUNAE FIGHTING! EUNAE FIGHTING! EUNAE FIGHTING!” Yeri continued chanting, this time adding some dance moves to it.

 

Seulgi peeked at Eunae, the girl is probably so embarrassed right now, but to her surprise, Eunae was smiling widely at her. She sees Eunae mouthing thank you, I like it. And Seulgi could feel the blush rising from her cheeks.

 

Seulgi had to clutch her heart the entire time, as she watched Eunae play.

 

“Unnie, unnie?”

 

“What?” Seulgi says absentmindedly, not wanting to tear her attention away from Eunae.

 

“I just have this brilliant idea.”

 

It probably wasn’t. Or if it did it would result in someone getting hurt or killed.

 

“So, maybe this time you drown for real.”

 

“Wait? what?”

 

“Wait…” Yeri raised her hands to silence her. “Hear me out, so, when you drown. She… could give you a mouth to mouth.”

 

Seulgi clutched her heart again when she saw Eunae’s tongue darted out, licking her lips in the process. Seulgi froze, maybe drowning wouldn’t be such a bad idea.

 

“Whatever you’re thinking about, don’t.” Joohyun stepped in.

 

“But look at those lips… what are the chances of you ever-“ Joohyun covered Yeri’s mouth before the girl could even continue.

 

Seulgi this time let out a groan, as she saw Eunae lick her lips once again. Before adjusting the hem of her bikini. Seulgi completely turns around, embarrassed with the blush on her cheeks.

 

*

 

Just when the opponents were about to make adjustments for Eunae’s beastly plays, they were surprised with how she completely changed. The grace and finesse are back, above all that remote control serve are back. They should have just quit when they can.

 

“Your girlfriend is watching, Eunae. You better do good!” Nahyun her savage of a bestfriend just yelled out, ruining her concentration, the ball hitting the net for once.

 

“Yah!” Sumin barked at the giggling Nahyun.

 

“Chill, they already won anyway.” Nahyun smiled proudly as her bestfriend smiling happily as she gives Yoonsun a hug and a high five. “And besides it’s nice to finally see Eunae liking something other than volleyball.”

 

“Awesome job, Eunae!” Minjae let out, giving her teammate a high five. “You should say hi to her.”

 

“What? No…” Eunae shook her head so fast; it looks like she’s about to have a seizure. She might as well do with the thought of talking to Seulgi.

 

“Why not? You invited her here, so you better say something.”

 

“I…I… I don’t know what to say…”

 

Euijin stepped in, knowing that her love expertise is needed.

 

“Start with a Hi, then thank you for coming and for the poster. Would you like to go to dinner with me?”

 

“I can’t do that!” Eunae’s voice reached a new high.

 

“She’s leaving! She’s leaving!”

 

Eunae felt her heart dropped when she sees Seulgi walking away with her friends, but not without a bow and a goodbye.

 

“Go, girl! God!” Nahyun shoved her towards her.

 

It’s now or never.

 

Time to put the practice to use.

 

*

 

“Ooooohhhh unnie she’s coming.”

 

Seulgi turned around, gulping nervously as Eunae was walking over to them in her bikini.

 

“W-w-w-w-w-we better go now.”

 

“Oh no, we don’t! Face your fears unnie!” Sooyoung holds Seulgi in her spot.

 

“God! Look at that hot body. I’m scared too.” Yeri said.

 

“Come let me see, Seul.” Wendy pulled her bestfriend to her and checked her face. “Let me see your face. You look good buddy.”

 

“We will be waiting in the car.”

 

“Wait what- no- don’t leave me… please.”

 

But Seulgi’s pleas for her friends fell on deaf ears as they already walked away, with Yeri waving madly at her.

 

“Hi.”

 

Seulgi jumped out in fright before she looked at Eunae… Oh my God Eunae… How could anyone look like this?

 

“Ummm hi?” Seulgi squeaks.

 

“Hi.”

 

“Hi.”

 

“Hi!”

 

“Hi!”

 

They’re never going to stop saying hi until someone says something.

 

“Ummm…”

 

“Ummmm….”

 

Oh my Lord Jesus, Seulgi groaned inside. Since when is talking so hard?

 

“Oh, you go first, Seulgi-shii.”

 

“I ummm… thank you. I meant Good luck! I meant congratulations!”

 

Kill her now, please… Let a tsunami take her, let a lightning strike her, anything…

 

“Thank you so much for coming. I like the poster.”

 

“Oh, this…” Seulgi blushed shyly. “It isn’t too much, right?”

 

“No. not at all.” Eunae’s ponytail swished left and right as she shook her head. “ I like it. It ummm… really cheered me up.”

 

“Oh, I’m glad! Do you want it?”

 

“What?”

 

Seulgi quickly retreated what she said, thinking that it just annoyed Eunae.

 

“N-nothing.”

 

“I would love to have it.”

 

“You would?” Seulgi blinked surprisingly.

 

“Yup.”

 

Seulgi handed her poster, and Eunae looked at it with such a lovely smile, that Seulgi swears she’ll make a million more if she gets to see Eunae smile like that.

 

“Ummm Eunae...”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Meandmyfriendsareplanningtogodokaraoketonightifyouwanttocome.”

 

How Eunae figured out what she said, Seulgi would never know.

 

“Yeah, I would love to.”

 

“You would?”

 

“Yeah, so, you sing?”

 

“Kinda…”

 

“I would love to hear it then.”

 

“I’ll sing your favorite song then,” Seulgi said proudly, and it had Eunae melting in a puddle.

 

“Sure. I’ll see you later?”

 

“Yes. It’s the karaoke near our hotel.”

 

“Oh, that one. Yeah, I know what you’re talking about.”

 

“It’s tonight around 9. I could pick you up if you like?”

 

Eunae gazed at her toes, trying to hide her smile.

 

“No, it’s okay I’ll be there.”

 

Seulgi gives Eunae one of those knee-weakening smiles before bowing down.

 

“I’ll see you later!”

 

“You too…”

 

Seulgi bowed again.

 

“Goodbye!”

 

“Bye!”

 

“Bye!”

 

“Bye!”

 

“Bye bye!”

 

“Byeeee!”

 

Seulgi finally spun around and ran back to her friends, while Eunae clutched at her chest, trying to contain her squeal.

 

*

 

“Do you think this is enough food?”

 

Seulgi worriedly asked as she stared at the table with three plates of wings, calamari, spicy rice cakes, a steaming pot of army stew.

 

“Maybe I should order some more. What if she’s allergic to meat? What if she’s vegetarian?”

 

“Seulgi.” Joohyun motioned to the girl nervously biting her fingernails. “Look, we have enough food, I’m sure Eunae would be okay with this.”

 

“I know but…”

 

“There, there buddy.” Wendy pats her bestfriend in the shoulders, hoping to calm her down. “I know how you feel. I was so nervous too when me and Joohyun went out on our first date. I didn’t know what she wanted to eat.”

 

“She wanted to eat you.” Sooyoung pointed out with a deadpan expression. Joohyun would kill her she could.

 

“Oh hi, Eunae!”

 

“Eunae shii!” Seulgi jumped up from her seat, only to be met with loud snickering from Yeri.

 

“Just kidding.”

 

Seulgi slumped back down, a new worry coming out of the woodworks.

 

“What if she changed her mind and didn’t want to come?”

 

“Eunae shii!”

 

Seulgi snorted but then the sound of the velvety voice stunned her.

 

“Hi, sorry I’m a bit late.”

 

Seulgi turned around and there she was in an off shoulder mini dress, looking every bit like a dream.

 

“Come sit here!” Yeri motioned to the spot next to her. “I’m Yeri, I save unnie’s life.”

 

Eunae politely bows while looking at Seulgi who smiled shyly at her.

 

“Nice to meet you,”

 

“Hi, how are you doing?” Wendy extended her arm out for a handshake. “I’m Son Wendy, and this is my lovely Joohyun.”

 

“Babe stop.”

 

“I’m stopping now.”

 

“Hi,” Joohyun said softly. Eunae thought she had never seen someone this beautiful.

 

“I’m Sooyoung…” The tallest one said.

 

“Nice to meet you guys.”

 

“Here Seulgi unnie, come sit next to your Bae.” Yeri stood up, ready to take over the karaoke machine.

 

“Yeriiiiiiii…” Seulgi whined, but when she saw Eunae smiling, it instantly made her smile back.

 

*

 

MAJIMAK CHEOROM! MA-MA-MA MAJIMAK CHEOROM! MAJIMAK BAMIN GEOTCHEOROM LOVE!

 

“Wow… she’s so…” Eunae didn’t know how to describe the youngest one. So cute, but so nuts.

 

“Crazy? Yup.” Sooyoung said while nibbling on the chicken wing. “She acts high all the time.”

 

“What genre do you like, Eunae?”

 

Wendy, the fluffy less scary one asked.

 

“Oh, I like RnB, some San-E and a little bit of rap.”

 

“Oh, rap?” Sooyoung turned to Seulgi who looked more focus on the songbook than ever. “What are the odds?”

 

“You like San-E?!” Yeri said, while her lips curl in a devilish smirk. “So, you like body language?”

 

Eunae’s words are failing her now, unsure of how to get out of this conversation about kpop sex anthem songs.

 

“W-well…”

 

Sooyoung who thinks in the same wavelength as Yeri had already pressed for the song and there it is… in the big screen.

 

“Sit your underage self down!” Joohyun scolded the youngest one. “No one is going to sing Body language here!”

 

But Yeri is already on the roll. Her eyes on Joohyun as if taunting her to do something.

 

Girl, Do you want it wonhaneun ge mwoni  
I’ll give it to you, girl boyeojulge nae seongui  
ya body my body We’ll love it, We’ll love it  
Oh shit, amu maldo malgo baro

 

“Oh God, this kid… I’m going to kill her one day.”

 

“It’s okay, baby, it’s okay…” Wendy said, massaging her lover’s shoulder.

 

“Seulgi unnie you should sing!”

 

“What is this song about?”

 

But as the lyrics of the song started showing…

 

Listen, don’t misunderstand, your skin is soft  
Like a tiger, I’ll violate you tonight  
Oops, I mean, I’ll decide the concept  
I’m the teacher, you’re the student  
I’ll quicken the pace (faster)

 

Seulgi quickly stiffened in her seat, even she wasn’t that oblivious.

 

“Do you want to sing, Eunae?”

 

“Oh no… I ummm… not much of a singer.”

 

“This is going to be your OST with Eunae.”

 

Seulgi buried her face in her palms, wondering why she still alive from all the stress that Yeri causes her. She slowly looked over to Eunae and the girl looked completely entertained by Yeri’s antics. Like maybe she’s just being paranoid, completely nervous over nothing.

 

She looked at her phone, and other than a miscall from Jennie, there’s a message from Wendy.

 

Wendy

She came here to be with you.

I know you’re nervous but you

have to try and talk to her.

Offer her food, start from there.

 

Seulgi looked up and Wendy, always the supportive best pal, is coaxing her to go for it. That was enough for Seulgi to try.

 

“Ummm… Eunae?”

 

Eunae looked away from Yeri and Sooyoung making a fool out of themselves and looked at Seulgi.

 

Would you like to eat?”

 

“Oh sure… thanks.”

 

“I can make you a plate.”

 

“Awwwww…” Sooyoung gushed or what felt like to Seulgi, teased. “Unnie is so sweet.”

 

“Can you make me a plate too?”

 

“Me too!”

 

“Oh okay…” Seulgi, the oblivious saint agreed.

 

“I’ll help.” Eunae stepped in, taking a plate before looking over at Yeri. “What would you like?”

 

“I like everything.”

 

“Okay,” Eunae said while placing two things of each on one plate.

 

“I like her already!”

 

“Eunae,” Seulgi whined. “You don’t have to do this.”

 

“No, it’s okay… really. So, do you sing?”

 

“Yes, I do.”

 

Eunae’s eyes disappeared in a crescent as she smiled sweetly at Seulgi.

 

“I would love to hear you sing.”

 

“Then, let’s show Eunae.” Wendy stood up, tugging Seulgi along with her.

 

The four friends went to the front and just went all out with Twinkle. Despite the girls having too much fun, they knocked the song well enough that they could be guaranteed music contracts if an executive ever had a chance to hear them.

 

Eunae was finding more and more reasons to look at Seulgi. There she is in the stage, having the time of her life and putting so much of her into the song.

 

Eunae turned to Joohyun, the calmest of them all. She looked like she was breathless as she watched her girlfriend sing. She wonders if someone would ever look at her that way.

 

She turned back to the girls and her gaze instantly locked with Seulgi. Maybe it was the lighting, or maybe she was imagining it, but she swears she had never seen anything so breathtaking.

 

*

 

“You know you don’t have to drop me off.” Eunae teased, even though she could feel her heart racing at having Seulgi next to her.

 

It was almost 1 am, but since they’re staying in a touristy town, nighttime is still more alive than ever. The streets are still bustling with music and drinks and loud laughter.

 

But Seulgi insisted in dropping her off to her pension house. It turned out she was staying half a block from Seulgi’s hotel.

 

“No, it’s already late.”

 

Eunae smiled at Seulgi’s insistence. She wasn’t undermining Seulgi’s efforts, but she wonders what Seulgi could even do if they’re about to get robbed. But still, Seulgi dropping her off is too sweet and too adorable.

 

“Let’s stop here.”

 

“Wait… what?” Seulgi looked up worriedly at her, probably assuming the worse.

 

“This store is halfway through my place and yours,” Eunae said, smiling reassuringly at Seulgi.

 

“But-“

 

“Nope. This is as far as we go.”

 

“Okay.” Seulgi nodded. “Did you… did you have fun today?”

 

“I couldn’t remember when I had that much fun. Your friends are awesome.”

 

And Eunae really mean it. She’s usually so quiet around strangers but Seulgi’s friends have a way of making you fit right in. It was funny how they were all so different, but yet they complement each other really well. And what else could she say about Seulgi? She’s sweet and endearing and gorgeous and just everything anyone could ever wanted.

 

“Yeah, they could be nuts sometimes, but they’re awesome.”

 

“Yeah… ummm… maybe next time you could meet my friends.”

 

“Oh yeah!” Seulgi smiled brightly. “That will be cool too.”

 

“So, good night?”

 

“Good night…”

 

They stood in that awkward place again, wondering to end with a hug, a bow or a hand shake. Seulgi was about to give her a hug, but Eunae thought she was going to give her a bow. So, Eunae opened her arms for a hug, but Seulgi was already bowing.

 

When is this awkwardness going to end?

 

“Good night, Seulgi-shii…”

 

“Good night, Eunae…”

 

“I better go.”

 

“Oh yeah me too… bye again.” Seulgi said as she walked back.

 

“Bye…”

 

“Bye...”

 

“Bye…”

 

“Bye…”

 

Eunae couldn’t count how many times they said bye to each other. The usual 5-minute walk to her pension house, took much longer with all their goodbyes and waves and bows and looking back at each other.

 

But she didn’t really mind, she and Seulgi would work on their his and goodbyes. They’ll get there one of these days, besides practice makes perfect.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remote control serves is based on Rachel Anne Daquis move.


	3. Day 3

There were two kinds of people on vacation.

 

First, there are people like Wendy who despite staying up all night with her girlfriend, still managed to get up at 7 am, put on her gym clothes and go out for a morning run. She is decked out in Nike’s from head to toe from her tank top, to her short shorts to her Huaraches. People like Wendy are the kind who walks up in an endless selection of continental breakfast buffet only to pour herself some cereals (Kashi’s not cocoa puffs) and grab a plate of fruits.

 

And then there are people like Sooyoung, Yeri, and Seulgi.

 

The only reason they’re awake at 9 am is so that they won’t miss the breakfast buffet. Three heavenly beauties with an appetite of an entire football team.

 

For a second, the feeling of guilt clawed at them, but one bite of that crisp bacon and they all know they regret nothing.

 

“You guys are up already?”

 

“Yeah, the breakfast buffet only runs until 10. So, sacrifices have to be made.” Sooyoung said while she nibbled on a slice of bacon.

 

“Orrrrr, we could eat breakfast then go back to sleep,” Yeri suggested, where both her unnies agreed.

 

“Sounds like an awesome plan already.”

 

Wendy joined them on their table and instantly cringed at Yeri’s cereal bowl. Her bowl looked like someone threw up rainbows, cocoa puffs, fruity pebbles and every cereal known to man in there.

 

“What is that?” Wendy dared to ask.

 

“Well…” Yeri said before digging in a spoonful of cereal. “I can’t decide which cereal to get, so I put all the cereals in here… why pick one when I can have all?”

 

“You’re gonna get sick,” Wendy said, looking worried at Yeri’s every bite.

 

“It’s worth it. Want some?”

 

The health nut politely declined although her brain is screaming hell naaaawwwww.

 

“I’m a cereal killer.” Yeri snickered at her lame joke. “Get it? Cereal? Serial?”

 

The rest of the girls decided it was much better to pretend not to hear her.

 

“Where’s unnie?” Seulgi wondered. It’s like a unicorn sighting whenever Wendy or Joohyun is alone without the other.

 

“Oh. She’s still asleep.” Wendy lightly scratched her neck, and Sooyoung could see those red spots along Wendy’s shoulders. It’s not even a wonder anymore who’s on the bottom. “She’s tired. I’ll just get her some breakfast.”

 

“I wonder why.” Sooyoung narrowed her eyes suspiciously at Wendy and Wendy looked away from the judging stare.

 

“Me and Joohyun are probably just going to stay in for today and-“

 

“Just have sex all day?” Yeri added.

 

“Just have se- What?!” Wendy’s brows jumped up high. “N-n-no. You know. Since you have been saying since day one, Sooyoung, it’s a vacation we should just chill and enjoy. So me and Joohyun are just going to you know, watch movies, maybe get some room service… you know just chill.”

 

“That’s another word for-“

 

“Okay, okay…” Wendy cuts them before this topic goes out of hand this early. “But look what I got from the lobby.”

 

Wendy spreads around four leaflets of different tour packages around the city. The front part is filled with happy faces standing behind the landmarks, but Sooyoung and Yeri don't look impressed or the least bit interested.

 

“What’s that supposed to be?”

 

“This place is more than just the beach. It got pretty cool historical sights too.”

 

“Cool and historical should never be in one sentence ever. EVER.”

 

“Wait, hear me out first. I mean look at this.” Wendy picked up the pamphlet with a picture of a family happily waving as they stood behind a massive temple. “This one. There’s this temple that is said to be over a 1000 years old.”

 

“A 1000 years old? Damn… that’s older than dinosaurs.” Yeri pointed out.

 

“Wrong.” Wendy corrected her “Dinosaurs are from a million of years ago. But you have to be more specific on what period you’re talking about. You got the Triassic period from 250 million years ago, the Jurassic period 200 million years ago and the Cretaceous Period 145 million years ago.”

 

“God damn it, unnie.” Sooyoung looked unimpressed. “I thought you’re going to be a lawyer, why do you even know about dinosaurs?”

 

“Is that how you won your Obama award because you know all these things about dinosaurs?”

 

“Well,” Wendy smirks proudly. “You guys just learned something new today.”

 

But while most people are no match for Sooyoung and Yeri’s sarcasm combined, they should know better that Wendy isn’t like most people. And for someone who looked like a squishy fluffball, she could be stubborn as fuck.

 

“Well, don’t knock it until you see it. C’mon guys. We are already here, don’t you want to go back and tell everyone, yeah, I have been there?”

 

Sooyoung and Yeri didn’t look so game with the whole idea. This was supposed to be a vacay, not a field trip to something that was made a thousand years ago.

 

“This tour covers three temples, a butterfly sanctuary and by the end of the tour there’s a river ride with a buffet.”

 

“Buffet?”

 

That should have done the trick.

 

“Yup. And they got pretty good reviews about their buffet in Yelp.”

 

Sooyoung and Yeri exchanged knowing glances, the two having a telepathic debate of whether to go or not.

 

“Fine, I guess.”

 

“Good. Cause I already signed us all up, it’ll be tomorrow at 8 am.”

 

“8 am?”

 

Sooyoung, Yeri, and Seulgi are regretting their decision already.

 

“Yup.” Wendy took a bite of her boring Kashi’s cereal while smiling triumphantly at them. “So, what are you guys plans for today?”

 

“After last night’s karaoke. We decided to help Seulgi unnie’s relationship.”

 

“Wait… what?” Seulgi dropped her ham on the plate. “No one told me that.”

 

“You’re welcome.” Sooyoung smiled back at Seulgi. She doesn’t know what it is about Sooyoung’s smirk, but it was enough to make her stomach flip flop.

 

“Well, I’m definitely rooting for both of you,” Wendy answered. “Eunae is sweet and polite.”

 

“And hot as fuck.”

 

“And beautiful…” Wendy used a politer term. “And the way she looks at you, it’s like…” Wendy let out a dreamy sigh as she looked up at the ceiling. “Like the stars shine in your eyes.”

 

Typical cheesy fuck Son Wendy but it was enough for Seulgi to put her fork down.

 

“R-really? I didn’t notice.”

 

“It’s just the disco ball.” Yeri pointed out.

 

“For once I agree with Wendy unnie. It’s like staring at those heart eyes emoji, unnie. I think she likes you too.”

 

The beat of Seulgi’s heart just quadrupled in speed.

 

“Well, you liking each other is only gonna go as far as you want it to go.” Wendy pointed out.

 

That was too much to comprehend for Seulgi.

 

“What?”

 

“It doesn’t matter if you two like each other. If no one is going to make a move, nothing is going to happen. And since you’re the unnie, maybe you should you know, make a move.”

 

“Like did you text her good morning?” Sooyoung jumped in.

 

“Yup. Did you text her, hey Eunae-yah. I had such an awesome time with you last night and all my friends like you. I hope you have a good morning, see you later.” Yeri added.

 

The girls were shooting questions with rapid-fire succession at her, and it was only making Seulgi’s nerves all jumpy. Seulgi didn’t know who to listen first or who to answer.

 

“I ummm…” She fiddled nervously with her napkin, afraid of how to say it. “I didn’t ask for her phone number?” Seulgi admitted sheepishly.

 

The three gasps so loud, the breakfast place got quiet to look over to them.

 

“Oh my God unnie, how could you?” Yeri looked at her with ultimate disappointment that she lost her appetite for a few seconds. A few seconds ticked by and she started to eat again, but yup she’s still disappointed.

 

“And why not?!”

 

“I…I…I forgot, okay?” Seulgi cracked under pressure from her friends. “It’s just that when she’s around, I can’t think. Or maybe I’m overthinking, and I don’t know what to do. She ummm… weakens me.”

 

The three backed off from the shrinking Seulgi. They knew better than to go hard on Seulgi, knowing how sensitive Seulgi gets. If Seulgi needs help getting Eunae, the best way to teach her is to hold her hand and show her the way.

 

“Oh! Oh!” Wendy’s face lit up with excitement “Invite her for the tour tomorrow.”

 

“That’s a great idea!” Sooyoung clapped in excitement before changing to a deadpan expression. “The tour is gonna be so boring; you have no choice but to talk to her.”

 

“Don’t listen to her, Seul.” Wendy scooted closer, ready to lecture her bestfriend in the ways of love. “Look, if you want to get closer with Eunae you have to take things slow.”

 

“Slow?”

 

“Yeah.” Wendy took a bite of a watermelon. “They think it’s a race like if I don’t ask her out now, someone will ask her out first.”

 

“But it is a race, unnie.” Sooyoung corrected. “Seulgi unnie has four days left.”

 

“4 days is the perfect time to win over her heart.”

 

“I…I don’t know.” Seulgi was unsure, she didn’t have Wendy’s gift of gab, and she could barely string a sentence when she’s in front of Eunae. “I don’t know how to talk to her.”

 

“Seulgi, you know how to talk. That’s it. Don’t overthink it, buddy. Speak to her about the simplest things… like you know…” Wendy pouts thoughtfully. “Hey Eunae, what did you have for breakfast?”

 

“Okay, okay… I think I could do that.” Seulgi nodded, having a little courage.

 

“Because it is. Then when you guys are comfortable, ask for her number.”

 

“I don’t know about that.”

 

“Yes. You do. When me and Joohyun were getting to know each other, I did all the talking, and I felt terrible, you know? That she never gets a chance to talk. But when we started texting, that’s when she kind of open up. But I was patient, and you know nothing can make your heart go crazy than seeing a text from your crush. So, maybe since Eunae is the quiet type, she’ll be more open with you when you text.”

 

“Ohhhh wow.” Sooyoung and Yeri leaned back, completely blown away by Wendy’s game. So, this is how she got the most beautiful girl on campus.

 

“Okay, so I start a conversation, then I get her number… what happens after that?”

 

“Then, you asked her out for dinner.”

 

“Like a date?” Seulgi slowly slumped down her seat. “I can’t do that. I mean not yet.”

 

“Four days unnie, four more days. Well… three and a half days.”

 

“Don’t worry unnie, were going to the beach today and we’re going to help you. And if all else fails, we just have to end up drowning you.”

 

“What?”

 

“JK.”

 

Totally not JK…

 

The buzzing of Wendy’s phone interrupted Seulgi’s thoughts. Three years and Joohyun's message could still make Wendy smile like that. Maybe one of these days she could make someone smile like that too.

 

“Joohyun’s up. I’ll see you guys later. Good luck Seulgi! Fighting Buddy!”

 

Wendy went to the cashier and wowed the dude with her bright smile as she asked for a Styrofoam box. The three looked over at her as she started piling the healthiest breakfast known to man inside that small box.

 

“And the marathon begins,” Sooyoung said as Wendy walked back to the hotel. “So, while they get busy let’s go get your girl.”

 

*

 

“Do you want to say something?”

 

“Hey, don’t mind me.” Nahyun playfully nibbled on her Twizzlers while she chuckled at the sight of her bestfriend picking up shells and pebbles along the shore. But Eunae wasn’t just picking up shells. She was giving each one a thorough inspection, seeing if it passed her visual test before deciding whether to put it in her bag or not.

 

“I’m just trying to figure out what the heck you’re doing.”

 

“It’s hard to explain.” Eunae reasoned out, hoping Nahyun would drop the subject.

 

“Try me.”

 

“Well, ummm…”

 

How could she explain this without sounding like a complete cheesy idiot?

 

“I’m waiting…” Nahyun sighed dramatically.

 

There’s always an advantage and disadvantage to being Nahyun’s bestfriend. Advantage was no one in this world knows her better than her. When jealous girlfriends were ready to put a fight with Eunae for turning their boyfriends into thirsty fanboys it was Nahyun who doesn’t hesitate to throw a punch. Disadvantage was Nahyun was savage as fuck and she had to take the brunt of it most of the time.

 

“Seulgi shii likes to make sand castles.”

 

Eunae was waiting for some crass remarks or some haughty scoff. But when she looked back up at Nahyun gloriously sitting on her lifeguard post, all she could see was her best friend's amused smile.

 

“You really like her, don’t you?” Nahyun said, her voice sounding sweet and sincere for once.

 

“I don’t know how else to describe it.”

 

“You like someone, no need to complicate it.”

 

Eunae let out a defeated sigh, clinging on to the lifeguard chair as she feels like her legs turned to mush from the realization.

 

“It’s just… doesn’t it usually take months or at least weeks for someone to like someone? I didn’t even know her for that long yet…”

 

“Girl,” Nahyun said with a scoff. “You need to lay off on those dramas. Some people take forever to realize they like each other. Some know they’re meant to be the second they see each other. You… well… you’re just one of those lucky ones that knew they liked someone instantly.”

 

Eunae laid her back on the bright orange post, as reassuring Nahyun’s words were, still she couldn’t help but feel like she’s so lost.

 

“What should I do though?”

 

“Just go for it. Start talking to her and see where it goes from there.”

 

Eunae looked up and gave Nahyun a contented smile.

 

“Easier said than done.”

 

“Well, you got to start somewhere. Who knows? She might give you your first kiss…”

 

There’s the savage Nahyun that she knows and love.

 

“OR better yet, maybe this the summer where you finally lose your-“

 

YAH!!!!

 

*

 

“Unnie what are you doing?”

 

“What?” Seulgi asked, her concentration still locked on making the foundation for her castle.

 

“With the sand? What are you doing?”

 

“Oh!” Seulgi pulled out her phone and showed the image of a sandcastle at Sooyoung. The younger girl gave her unnie a sour look. “I was gonna try to make one today.”

 

“And then?”

 

“Ummmm… maybe show it to Eunae?”

 

Sooyoung closed her eyes not willing to see Seulgi and this girl’s failed attempts.

 

“Unnie, what are you five? The girl of your dreams is over there. Can’t you do something cool like sunbathe and listen to music?”

 

“I was gonna say that you go swim, but you can’t,” Yeri said while placing her beach towel on the ground.

 

“You know what? invite her to come with us tomorrow.”

 

“Ohhh yeah.” Yeri jumped in. “Tell her unnie, we’re going on a field trip. I’ll be the bus, and you can ride me all day long.”

 

Sooyoung smacked Yeri at the back of her head, hoping to get rid of those thoughts inside her young mind.

 

“You need to stop reading those smut fanfics. Like seriously.”

 

“Excuse me… I don’t read smutty fanfics.” Yeri corrected Sooyoung. “I read webtoons and speaking of; I need to catch up on my reading. “Yeri splayed comfortably on her towel before she pulled out her phone. “Hello, What does the fox say.”

 

“I just think since she lives around here that she already had been to these places too many times,” Seulgi said with a sigh.

 

“You could go tell her, you and I should make history together… by going to these historic sites.”

 

“You are just on a roll today, aren’t you?”

 

Yeri shrugged like a boss.

 

“She might… but she didn’t go to these places with you. And that’s what’s going to make a difference.”

 

“By the end of our trip, you should totally do this with Eunae, unnie.”

 

Before Seulgi could lean closer, Yeri already pressed her phone screen on Seulgi’s face.

 

“What is thi-“ Seulgi asked as she narrowed her eyes and tried to figure out what she’s seeing. “OH MY GOD!” Seulgi fell back down as the picture couldn’t be clearer. A dark haired girl with her face buried between the legs of a blonde girl.

 

Yeri cackled like the evil gremlin that she is while Seulgi remained paralyzed. The image is drilled in her head.

 

“Geez Yeri, what Saeron see in you, I will never know.”

 

“What Saeron sees, you will never get to see.” Yeri looked at Sooyoung with a haughty smirk and a playful wag of her finger. “Oh look unnie, it’s the lifeguard you want to do Chapter 43 with.”

 

Seulgi looked up and quickly regretted her decision as she sees Eunae heading her way. She was wearing her bright orange lifeguard shorts and white shirt, but she looks so freaking dreamy. And this is one dream that Seulgi doesn’t want to wake up from.

 

“I-I-I-I-I…”

 

“You-you-you…” Sooyoung mocked Seulgi’s poor stammering. “need to do something.”

 

“What do I do? What do I say?”

 

“Eunae hi.”

 

Seulgi jumped back as Eunae was standing behind her. Wasn’t she like 50 meters away 30 seconds ago? God those long legs sure are fast.

 

“Ummm Hi.”

 

“Hi.”

 

“Hi.”

 

Sooyoung and Yeri exchanged confused looks and Sooyoung decided to step in before these two spends their whole morning saying hi.

 

“There are other words other than Hi, you know? Unnie?” Sooyoung pulled Seulgi closer to her, trying to keep the girl’s focus in check. “Remember what you need to do.”

 

“Oh yeah… Hey Eunae, what’s your number?”

 

“What?”

 

Yeri cackled at this gag show. Her unnie's love life is more amusing than she thought.

 

“I-I-I meant did you have dinner already?”

 

That does it… Yeri let it all out in a burst of giggles. Eunae tilted her head in confusion, was she that boring that Seulgi forgot she ate dinner with them in the karaoke?

 

“I- I had one last night with you guys.”

 

“Oh yes! How could I forget?”

 

Seulgi nervously chews on her lips, her palms starting to get sweaty. How come it sound so easy when Wendy was talking about it this morning?

 

“Ask her if she likes webtoons,” Yeri whispered loud enough for Eunae to hear.

 

“N-no.”

 

“Do you like webtoons?!” Yeri took it upon herself to ask.

 

That question caught Eunae off guard. Being a lit major, she definitely read a couple of webtoons here and there. But she’s the type that enjoyed reading articles more than stories.

 

“Ahhh yeah. Ummm… I read… ummm… what was that?” Eunae pouted thoughtfully as she’s trying to rack her brain for the answer “Ah! Fluttering feelings a couple of years ago.

 

“Fluttering Feelings?”

 

For a second there, Yeri looked like she’s been struck by cupid.

 

“Oh my God! The feels!” Yeri was started to fan herself with her hands. “You definitely give me Seol-A feels.”

 

“Seol-A?”

 

“Yeah! Like this cool beauty who fell for- ummm… her? Too bad… it’s discontinued.” Yeri pouted cutely. “But you know what you should read now? What does the fo-”

 

“Shut up.” Sooyoung cuts in before Yeri just made this more awkward than it already is. “Unnie is wondering if you had breakfast already?”

 

“Oh, I did. Some cereals.”

 

“Me too! I ate cereals! And bacon! And sausage! And eggs! And potatoes! And waffles! And congee! I think I ate too much.” Seulgi said clutching her stomach.

 

She looked over to Sooyoung who just shook her head. That’s something you don’t tell the one you’re trying to impress.

 

“Is your tummy okay?” Eunae worriedly asked when she saw Seulgi clutching her stomach.

 

“Yes!”

 

Yaaaahhhhhhhhh!!! She said tummy?!!!!!! How cute is that?

 

“Maybe you need to walk off those extra pounds, unnie.”

 

“What?”

 

“Go for a walk, unnie.” Sooyoung started to shoo them away if she could shove these two awkward love birds out of there.

 

“I ummm… okay? Do you want to go for a walk?”

 

“S-sure?”

 

Sooyoung just facepalms on what felt like the tenth time in the last twenty minutes while Yeri waved happily at them.

 

*

Ten minutes. Ten minutes without a word or anything.

 

Both were just struggling to start a conversation. Wendy was right, she knows how to talk, and she could start a conversation, but why is this so hard?

 

Start simple, Seulgi.

 

“So?”

 

Eunae turned to look over to her and Seulgi forgot what she’s about to say.

 

“Ummm… Did you have to work today?”

 

“Not lifeguard duties. I teach swimming lessons on Thursdays.”

 

“So wait, you’re a lifeguard, and you teach swimming too?” Seulgi said, her jaw on the ground in amazement.

 

“Yeah, beginner level,” Eunae admitted. It was Euijin and Nahyun who are the more equipped ones to handle the assholes at the intermediate level.

 

Seulgi’s face glowed and softly whispered. “You’re amazing.”

 

“What?”

 

“I mean… that’s amazing.”

 

“Thank you.” Eunae blushed at the compliment. If only she could tell who Seulgi is praising.

 

I just ummm…” Eunae clutched tighter on her bag of shells and pebbles. What would she even say? Here I got you some shells and rocks, enjoy… “Would you like to sit?”

 

“In the sand?”

 

“Oh ummm…” Eunae momentarily forgot that Seulgi is a city kid and city kids see sand as dirt. And city kids definitely do not sit on dirt. She looked around for a better place to sit. A bench? A beach chair? A freaking banana leaf? Anything where Seulgi can sit like the princess that she is.

 

“No. I don’t mind.” Seulgi plopped down in the sand, and Eunae looked relieved before she sat next to her.

 

Seulgi took a nice deep breath, taking in everything. The city is definitely her home, but this place is winning her heart over too. “It’s so nice here.”

 

Eunae have been to countless cities to play volleyball. And even if she admits that the city life fascinates her, in the end, this place will be her home.

 

“It is.”

 

Seulgi looked at Eunae, and Eunae almost jumped off with how close they are, and how seriously lovely Seulgi is up close.

 

“Do you go to school close by?”

 

“Yeah. It’s actually just an hour away. I got to this Christian University. Lady of Perpetual Help.”

 

“What?” Seulgi blinked confusedly. “Perpetual hell?”

 

Eunae bit her lower lip, trying to contain the smile that is about to break her face.

 

“Perpetual HelP…” Eunae says emphasizing the P sound.

 

“Oh, crap…” If Seulgi could dig herself a hole in the ground and bury herself, she already would. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

 

“No, no… I hear it a lot.”

 

Seulgi looked like she was panicking and Eunae didn’t know what she could say to make Seulgi feel better.

 

“I didn’t mean your school is hell or something. I just heard it wrong.”

 

“No Seulgi shii it’s okay.”

 

It really is… Eunae knows Nahyun calls their school that numerous times.

 

“How about you? Where do you go?”

 

“I go to Haneul.”

 

“H-Haneul?” Eunae’s jaw dropped at what Seulgi had said. She knows all about Haneul. Everyone in this country knows about Haneul, the elites, the chaebols and the politicians and the tuition that is worth a mortgage and a luxury car.

 

Eunae had a tournament before in Haneul, and she could still remember how awestruck the place made her feel. Eunae felt like she was walking around in one of those campuses that you see on TV. It’s ten times bigger than her university, and everything about the place was picturesque from the lush tree line pathways to the neoclassical-inspired architectures. Even the students looked like they are characters out of a drama.

 

She shouldn’t even be surprised that Seulgi goes to one of the most elite and priciest university in the country. Seulgi carried herself in a way that only someone from Haneul could. She’s a walking contradiction, she looks elite, but Seulgi is the sweetest, most adorable and yet most awkward cutie alive. A pang of worry started to hit Eunae, Seulgi must have been surrounded by so many beautiful and talented and rich girls, where does someone like her even stand?

 

She pulled the bag of seashells closer to her, what was she even thinking?

 

“I have been to Haneul.”

 

“You did?!”

 

“Yeah. We had a tournament there last semester.”

 

Seulgi looked completely stunned how could she not even notice this beauty walking around their campus then?

 

“Haneul looked really amazing.”

 

“Thank you,” Seulgi said with an air of pride, but without crossing the boundary to arrogance. “We probably saw each other then and didn’t even know.”

 

Eunae smiled at the possibility of their fate intertwining before.

 

“So, what do you major in?” Seulgi asked, her confidence slowly building by the second.

 

“Oh. Literature. How about you?”

 

“Ummm… performing arts. I don’t know if I can find a job after though. But still I don’t see myself doing anything else but that. Kinda unrealistic, but a girl can dream.”

 

Seulgi smiled sweetly at Eunae that instantly made Eunae smile back.

 

“So, you want to write a book someday?”

 

“Oh what? Oh me? ummm… no. I want to write sports articles.”

 

“Sports articles?”

 

“Yeah. I feel that we read so much about idols, but we never really get a lot of chance to read about athletes. Like what they go through or what their team goes through so that’s why I-”

 

Eunae stopped talking when she caught Seulgi just gazing at her entirely.

 

“I’m talking too much?”

 

“No. You’re perfect.” Seulgi’s lovestruck smile turned into panic as she realized what she just said “I mean you’re good. I mean you’re more than good. I mean- You can keep on talking, and I’ll keep on listening.”

 

Eunae smiled sweetly, playfully tinkling with her bag of shells. Seulgi tilted her head curiously at the plastic bag in Eunae’s hand. She’s been holding it like it got the most precious gems in the world in there.

 

It must be her lunch.

 

“Is that your lunch?”

 

“What?”

 

“The one you’re holding, is that your lunch?”

 

“Oh, this? no…” What should she say? Should she give it to her now? “It’s ummm… some shells and rocks.”

 

“Ahhh interesting.”

 

How can you follow up something about a bag of shells and rocks?

 

“W-would you like to see it?”

 

Did she just ask Seulgi to look at a bunch of rocks? Eunae grimaced in embarrassment as that thought fell on her like a bunch of rocks. (The irony)

 

“SURE!”

 

Both of her heart and head started pounding as Seulgi digs inside the bag and curiously pulled out each shell and rock one by one.

 

How can I say it? I got them for you Seulgi-shii? I got you a bunch of shells and rocks for your castle… Oh God no… please help her to be smooth and charismatic.

 

“They’re pretty cool!”

 

“Would you like to have it?”

 

Wait.. that question came out of nowhere, where did that even come from? Did she just offer to give her bag of shells to Seulgi?

 

Eunae looked at the beach and is seriously contemplating about jumping in the water and swimming as far away from Seulgi as she could.

 

“That’s awesome “Thank you!”

 

“I’m glad you like it.” Eunae finally looked up and saw the way Seulgi’s eyes turned crescent.

 

“I’ll keep this forever!” Seulgi held the bag close to her. “Memories from summer 2017.”

 

Eunae’s feelings went from 0-60 in a heartbeat. From fluttering feelings to a potential heartache. At the end of everything, despite all her efforts, all she will ever be to Seulgi is a part of her memory.

 

“Are- are you okay?”

 

“Huh?”

 

“You suddenly look sad, is something wrong? I didn’t mean to take your shells.” Seulgi’s expression is filled with guilt.

 

“No! No… it's yours. I- got it for you.”

 

Seulgi looked back at the bag. Nobody ever gave her a bag of shells and rocks before. And for her, it’s the sweetest thing in the world. Her friends might throw bullshit at her a lot, but maybe for once, they’re telling the truth. Maybe Eunae likes her back, and maybe it’s time for her to show Eunae that she likes her too.

 

*

 

“And so, he said that he was getting excited and I asked him what do you mean? And he said-“

 

Eunae had heard Euijin’s countless tales of guys that it doesn’t send shivers down her spine as it did before. It’s like the same shit, different guys. The rest of the girls are into it, but Eunae had Kang Seulgi in her mind to focus on anything else.

 

She typed Kang Seulgi Haneul University Performing Arts.

 

“Oh my God!”

 

It turned out her gasp came out louder than she thought when the girls turned away from their lunch and Euijin and over to her.

 

“What’s wrong, unnie?”

 

“N-nothing,” Eunae faked a smile, before motioning Euijin to go “Go on Euijin.”

 

“Oh no! I’m not going on.” Euijin said with a wave of her chopsticks “Whatever made you gasp like that is definitely not nothing.”

 

“No seriously, it’s nothing,” Eunae said, but her actions betrayed her when she flipped her phone face down. Her teammates knew her too well, and when they caught her doing that, they exchanged glances before diving to yank Eunae’s phone out of her grip.

 

“YAH! What are you guys doing?!”

 

It was Nahyun, of course, it has to be her who took her phone.

 

“Oh wow… is this teddy bear?”

 

Eunae could only groan in defeat as the rest swarmed over her phone. It’s time like this that makes Eunae regrets being friends with them, as they oohhhsss and ahhhh over Seulgi’s photo.

 

Seulgi was being modest when she said she goes to Haneul. When Eunae clicked the Haneul University page, the first thing that greets her was Seulgi’s gorgeous grin. There is a picture of Seulgi with other students (who could all passed as commercial models) smiling happily behind the infamous Haneul fountain. The photo reminded Eunae more of a poster for one of those coming of age dramas rather than a school’s website. But it’s Haneul after all.

 

“Oh. Your girlfriend is a big time.” Minjae teased her. Unfortunately, Eunae wasn’t amused.

 

“She’s not my girlfriend.”

 

“Not yet.”

 

“Probably not ever.” Eunae put a period on her own romantic dream before she could even start writing it.

 

“Why? What’s wrong?” Sumin asked. Though she could get a bit loopy at times, in the end, it’s Sumin’s ability to picked up how her teammates feel which is why she became their captain no doubt.

 

“Seulgi-shii is… is…” Eunae tried to search her mind for the right word “She’s amazing.”

 

“Well, have you check yourself out? Cause you’re pretty hot too.”

 

That reassurance from Sumin didn’t do her any good. And Eunae knows her friends are just being good friends trying to help her out. Eunae just sunk deeper into her chair, if she knew crushes would be this trivial she would have stayed away, no, run away just from the first sign of it. But if only it were that easy. If only unliking Seulgi is as easy as liking her.

 

“No, I’m serious,” Eunae said once again.

 

“I’m serious too.”

 

“We might not be from Haneul, and we might be from Perpetual Hell.”

 

The girls snickered, and Eunae pretended not to smile but ended up grinning softly.

 

“But we could pretty much kick ass too. This year we're going to win nationals. We're going to beat Haneul and you’re going to get your girl.”

 

Eunae who looked like she got life beaten out of her awhile ago, finally looked like she crawled out of her slump.

 

“I got to go to my lessons.”

 

“Alright! See you later lover girl!”

 

And as soon as her friends started hooting and hollering, Eunae was regretting again why she’s friends with these nutcases.

 

*

 

“Are you doing swimming lessons too?”

 

The five year old girl paused on combing her bangs and gave the pretty bear looking unnie a quick nod of her head.

 

“Fighting!” Pretty bear unnie said with a pump of her fist.

 

“Fighting!”

 

Seulgi turned to her left and her right, and when it finally dawned on her that everyone in this beginner’s class is around the age of 4-6-year-olds, she realized that this is embarrassing as fuck. Seulgi is around 5’4, 5’5 on a good day but right now she towers over everybody as she sits next to a line of 4-6-year-olds ready to learn how to swim.

 

She really needs to make her mind make the decision for once, instead of letting her heart lead the way. When they separated that morning for lunch, the first thing that Seulgi did was sign herself up for swimming lessons just to get a little bit closer to Eunae (if she’s lucky, she might actually learn how to swim). That thought sounded so romantic in her head, the swim teacher and her.

 

But now she looked like such a complete idiot.

 

Oh God, what have I done?

 

Seulgi let out a groan to the skies. But she’s pretty sure the heavens are facepalming on her epic fail too.

 

Eunae is still not here maybe she could leave before she comes.

 

“Hello, guys!”

 

Fuck. It’s too late!

 

Seulgi felt her breath hitched as soon as she saw Eunae. There was something completely different about her today. This must be what they’re talking about when they say aura. It’s like Eunae is giving off a different vibe. She didn’t have that fierceness when she’s playing volleyball, but right now Eunae looks like a gentle fluffball as she greeted the kids with a squishy smile.

 

Eunae looked up and Seulgi immediately saw the confused expression on her face when she saw her. Seulgi just raised her arm up, waving awkwardly and Eunae just smiles back, giving her an awkward wave too.

 

“Seulgi-shii?”

 

“Ummm hey.” Seulgi looked down on her toes, shuffling it around the tiles.

 

“So, you’re the Kang Seulgi on the list.”

 

“Yup. That’s me. I ummm… I didn’t have anything to do today so I thought maybe I could sign up for swimming lessons. I didn’t know that they’re five-year-olds.”

 

“It’s alright.” Eunae shook her head. “Everyone could learn how to swim.”

 

“Ah Yeah!” Seulgi bowed down. “Please take care of me, teacher.”

 

Eunae flashed Seulgi a shy smile before turning over to the kids. Seulgi didn’t know how long it took her to recover from it.

 

*

 

“Are you okay?”

 

She saw Eunae mouthed that question to her on what felt like the fifth time in the last ten minutes. It looked like to Seulgi that she and swimming aren’t just going to click ever.

 

It turned out Eunae wasn’t just a volleyball star and a lifeguard, she also happened to be a pretty damn good swim teacher. If only Eunae wasn’t so darn pretty, Seulgi might have been doing well now. But instead she tense whenever Eunae turns her way, or when Eunae tried to help her float and she almost drowned instead. But Eunae is so patient and helpful that it made Seulgi want to try even harder.

 

“Okay, since we learn how to do flutter kick, with your kickboard, you’re going to the other side of the pool. Let me show you first and then you guys can do it after.”

 

“Oh wow!”

 

All the five year old’s eyes turned to hearts as they watch Eunae do flutter kick all the way to other side of the pool.

 

“So, are you guys ready?”

 

“Yes!”

 

“Who wants to start?”

 

“Bear unnie wants to go first!” Shouted the bucktooth kid.

 

“What?” Seulgi waved her hand and shook her head, anything to convinced them that she’s not up for it. “N-no thank you.”

 

“C’mon unnie! C’mon!”

 

“BEAR UNNIE! BEAR UNNIE! BEAR UNNIE!”

 

The whole class started chanting and if Seulgi could run away now, she already would. But she looked back at Eunae who now has that smile on her face and since when did Seulgi ever been so defenseless?

 

“Okay I guess.”

 

*

 

“Okay guys, everyone did so awesome today so let’s give everybody… let me see…” Eunae narrowed her eyes playfully as the kids looked at her in anticipation. “50 claps.”

 

50 claps was a challenge but they did an excellent job doing it.

 

“So, tell me what are some of the things that we learned in swimming today?” Eunae pursed her lips to keep herself from smiling. “Yes Seulgi-shii?”

 

She called out Seulgi who is raising her hand like an enthusiastic student.

 

“I learn how to do flutter kick.”

 

Eunae’s lips slowly curved in a lovely smile.

 

“That’s awesome to hear, Seulgi-shii. Anything else?”

 

Seulgi looked around the students who are busy shouting different things, she raised her hand again.

 

“Seulgi-shii?”

 

“I learn how to float.”

 

“Good job, okay another one. Yes?” Eunae called out a skinny little girl raising her hand happily. “Yes Bomi?”

 

“I learned that Bear unnie likes to look at Teacher Eunae!”

 

“KYAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!” All the five year old girls started squealing on her expense.

 

Seulgi’s jaw almost hit the tile floor from the impact, she turned over to Eunae whose face was now blushing a dark shade of red.

 

“Is she your girlfriend?!”

 

“W-what?”

 

*

 

Eunae had just returned the last of the kickboards when she heard the children’s giggles by the pool area. She walked back and saw Seulgi in the kiddie pool along with her young “classmates” playing a game of Marco Polo. Seulgi with her eyes closed waddling around while the kids are giggling all around her.

 

Eunae leaned on the door post of the supply room and just let time pass by as she watched Seulgi.

 

Eunae had been single since birth, but that doesn’t mean she didn’t get proposals and confessions. When she plays, she constantly heard people screaming I love you Eunae. In school, she would get these endless confessions. They would tell her whatever romantic crap they hear on TV, and hope that she’ll fall for it.

 

And then, there’s Seulgi. The girl who could barely start a conversation with her. But, here she is, making Eunae’s heart flutter by the simplest things, the poster, the way she looks at her and now this enrolling in swimming lessons. Seulgi might not say those three words but Eunae felt it more than from those people who scream I love you until she’s deaf.

 

So, if Seulgi was willing to go through such lengths just for her, maybe it’s time that she show Seulgi how much she feels for her too.

 

*

 

“Here you go…”

 

Seulgi turned around just at the right time when Eunae placed a towel around her.

 

“T-thank you.”

 

“You’re welcome.”

 

They both stared out at the horizon. Somehow sunsets here looked more picturesque than they do back home. Seulgi always the type who appreciated beauty took out her phone, hoping to capture the gorgeous sight in front of them.

 

It was almost closing time and the chaotic scene earlier was almost like a thing in a past, with how peaceful the place is now. She and Eunae were the only ones left, but both of them are not in any rush at all. They sat by the poolside, their feet splashing in the water, while they sat in silence.

 

“Did you have fun?”

 

“Oh yeah! I did. Ummm… I get to learn how to swim, I made new friends, even though they’re just 5 and 6 and ummm…”

 

Eunae looked at Seulgi waiting for her to finished. But she had no idea that with just her gaze, Seulgi is easily rendered helpless.

 

“I forgot.”

 

“That’s okay. As long as you had fun.”

 

Seulgi thanked her with a smile. Before being reminded of what she had to do today. She took a deep breath, hoping to suck in as much courage as she could before she say it.

 

It was now or never.

 

“So, ummm Eunae.”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Wendy book this tour tomorrow to visit some sights around. I was wondering if you ummm… if you have nothing to do maybe you would like to come with us. But only if you would like to, you don’t have to go if you don’t want to, but…”

 

“The temples? Oh… I haven’t been to those places since high school.”

 

“Oh.”

 

“Yeah. I heard they have like some cool shops lined up around the riverbank now, so yeah I would love to go.”

 

Seulgi’s jaw drop out of excitement. “Really?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

They exchanged shy smiles before they turn back at the sky, the orange tinge was giving way to the darkness now.

 

“Hey… I might get in trouble for saying this, so just keep it between us.” Eunae said to her, her tone playful.

 

“Hmmm?”

 

Eunae narrowed her eyes teasingly at Seulgi before she said, “You’re my favorite student.”

 

“Really?!” Seulgi sounded genuinely excited. “I thought I was the worse there.”

 

“You were willing to learn. Here.” Eunae handed her a piece of lollipop.

 

“Wow… thank you. But why?”

 

The beautiful life guard/ swim teacher/volleyball star just flashed her one of those cute, squishy smiles where Seulgi is just dying to pinch her cheeks.

 

“Just cause…”

 

Seulgi could feel her heart beating so fast and her mind going in absolute overdrive. And for once in her 21 years of life, her heart and her mind agreed on the same thing.

 

KISS HER GOD DAMN IT!

 

What? No… The negative voice inside of Seulgi said. You just met her three days ago, now you’re trying to hook up with her? Imagine what she’ll think of you. She’ll probably say you’re just in it to get inside her pants.

 

But then, her mind told her to look at Eunae. Eunae looked like she got caught doing something indecent before she turned away. What Wendy said during breakfast suddenly echoed inside her head. She can’t recall it word for word but basically…

 

It doesn’t matter how much they like each other, if no one makes a move, nothing is going to happen.

 

This is it… screw everything. She likes Eunae and what happens after the kiss, if she get slap or kick. She will take it, at least she tried.

 

“Eunae?”

 

“Hmmm?”

 

Seulgi leaned in closer, ready to capture her lips. Her heart was pounding so hard it felt like it’s going to break out of her ribcage and her mind is experiencing a complete mental breakdown.

 

But still they kept chanting. Kiss her. Kiss her. Kiss her. Kiss her. Kiss her.

 

Unfortunately, Seulgi’s stomach had other plans.

 

Because before their lips could meet, Seulgi’s stomach let out a rumbling noise loud enough to be heard in the neighboring town.

 

“Ummmm…”

 

Eunae pursed her lips together in a sad attempt to hide her smile. Seulgi clutched on her stomach before finally deciding that this would be a good time to drown herself.

 

But before she jumped, Eunae spoke up ultimately saving her life once again.

 

“Do you want to go grab something to eat?”

 

“What?”

 

“Swimming can make people hungry, ummm… if you like seafood there’s this place by the beach that’s like the best in town. You get to pick it then they’ll cook it for you.”

 

“Wait?” Seulgi’s eyes shot open in fright. “They kill them in front of me?”

 

“Oh! You don’t have to look. Or ummm… we could go somewhere else?”

 

“No. Seafood is great!”

 

Eunae smiled before reaching out to pull Seulgi up. And here is Seulgi’s heart again about to jumped out of her chest in excitement.

 

She’s holding Eunae’s hand! She’s holding Eunae’s hand! Calm down, Kang Seulgi, calm down, she might feel your pulse.

 

If only Seulgi knows that Eunae’s heart is racing just as fast too.

 

Eunae’s fingers are so long and slim. NO! NO! NO! NO! Seulgi shook her head, trying to defend herself by saying that she isn’t a pervert. So, what if Eunae’s fingers are long and slim? Yeah… it’s perfect for… holding hands.

 

Her hand is damp with sweat and it must still be pruney from swimming. Seulgi looked away from their linked hands before looking over at Eunae. It seemed like it didn’t matter at all to Eunae, in fact, her hold on Seulgi’s hand grew tighter.

 

She expected Eunae to let their hands go, but Eunae still has her fingers linked with her. Seulgi looked up, giving Eunae a shy smile and she felt her heart racing as Eunae smiled back before fiddling playfully with their fingers.

 

Seulgi took another deep breath and mustered all the courage. It was now or never.

 

“Eunae, can I have your number?”

**Author's Note:**

> And here we go... IDOT has been my lifeline these days and the Diggy. D.gi/Seulana ship has snatched me harder than I thought.
> 
>  
> 
> This is going to be like a summer AU, with college student Seulgi going to the beach with her buddies. This fic will be like a summer project in a way. 
> 
>  
> 
> I hope you guys do enjoy.
> 
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> 
> Thank you authornim for going through brainstorming sessions with me. 


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